Nilphamari Correspondent :
Hundreds of flood affected people from nine villages situated beside left bank of Teesta river in Dimla upazila fleeing to different places for shelter including flood control dam and other structures of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) as a new channel of Teesta River continues devastation as passing through crowded locality.
Visiting the flood control dam area near BWDB’s Dalia divisional office yesterday , it was found that about 500 flood-affected families have already taken shelter there.
More families, many of them solvent were seen coming to the spot through water way of Teesta river with hired shallow engine run big boats packed with furniture, utensils, dismantled tin roofs, pillars, cattle, chickens, fodders and others. The unloaded goods are kept scattered on the dam and nearby helipad area of BWDB and hopeless people are sobbing as lost their neatly arranged homesteads.
Anwar Hosen (55), of Char Kharibari village in Tepakharibari union who took shelter on the dam yesterday cried out saying, ” Even two days before, I had a neatly arranged family but the monster Teesta devours everything making me street beggar overnight.”
” Now I’m bewildered thinking what to do and where to go as BWDB will not allow us to stay here for a long time,” said another victim Fazar Ali of Tapur Char village. During visit, many children were seen standing in a queue to collect food for family as some volunteers of upazila relief department distributing rice and meat from a mini truck.
Tepakharibari union parishad’s (UP) ward no.-1 member Saidul Islam Sadhu representing worst affected char Kharibari village informed that the unwanted new channel of Teesta is created due to recent construction of a dam few kilometers upstream in Indian territory without considering the impact on down stream villages in Bangladesh.
” Strong surge of flood water in the up is obstructed by the dam and diverted which after entering Bangladesh hit Teesta’s left embankment violently at Char Kharibari village near Bangladesh-India border making a breach and creating the new channel, he further said.
Golam Rabbani, UP member of ward no- 2 said, ” Massive devastation is caused in 9 villages of the upazila.”
” It’s a indeed a human disaster and victims never experience it as the new channel suddenly starts flowing through their peaceful villages said Tabibul Islam, freedom fighter also Dimla upazila chairman who was distributing relief in afternoon of today.
Rabiul Islam Shahin, chairman of Tepakhribari village informed that the 150-meter wide new channel, originating from Char kharibari village and traveling through the locality for about 6 kilometers, again merges with the main river near Teesta barrage at Doani.
” On its course, it already devours about 22,000 acres (1 acre= 100 decimal) of cultivable land and 500 homesteads, 5 schools, 4 bridges, rural roads making 1,000 families to flee for shelter on flood control dam, helipad area, groins and spurs, of BWDB. ” We don’t want relief but a dam which may bring a permanent solution making way for return to our villages,” said Insan Ali, a victim from char kharibari village.
Mostafizur Rahman, Executive Engineer of BWDB in Dalia division said, ” For permanent solution, we’ve sent a proposal to higher authority in Dhaka for constructing a 300 meter dam to stop on surge of water through the new channel in rainy season.
Upazila relief and disaster management officer Nayema Tabassum said that dry food has been distributed among victims every day and her dept. was preparing victims list to provide logistical support.
Hundreds of flood affected people from nine villages situated beside left bank of Teesta river in Dimla upazila fleeing to different places for shelter including flood control dam and other structures of Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) as a new channel of Teesta River continues devastation as passing through crowded locality.
Visiting the flood control dam area near BWDB’s Dalia divisional office yesterday , it was found that about 500 flood-affected families have already taken shelter there.
More families, many of them solvent were seen coming to the spot through water way of Teesta river with hired shallow engine run big boats packed with furniture, utensils, dismantled tin roofs, pillars, cattle, chickens, fodders and others. The unloaded goods are kept scattered on the dam and nearby helipad area of BWDB and hopeless people are sobbing as lost their neatly arranged homesteads.
Anwar Hosen (55), of Char Kharibari village in Tepakharibari union who took shelter on the dam yesterday cried out saying, ” Even two days before, I had a neatly arranged family but the monster Teesta devours everything making me street beggar overnight.”
” Now I’m bewildered thinking what to do and where to go as BWDB will not allow us to stay here for a long time,” said another victim Fazar Ali of Tapur Char village. During visit, many children were seen standing in a queue to collect food for family as some volunteers of upazila relief department distributing rice and meat from a mini truck.
Tepakharibari union parishad’s (UP) ward no.-1 member Saidul Islam Sadhu representing worst affected char Kharibari village informed that the unwanted new channel of Teesta is created due to recent construction of a dam few kilometers upstream in Indian territory without considering the impact on down stream villages in Bangladesh.
” Strong surge of flood water in the up is obstructed by the dam and diverted which after entering Bangladesh hit Teesta’s left embankment violently at Char Kharibari village near Bangladesh-India border making a breach and creating the new channel, he further said.
Golam Rabbani, UP member of ward no- 2 said, ” Massive devastation is caused in 9 villages of the upazila.”
” It’s a indeed a human disaster and victims never experience it as the new channel suddenly starts flowing through their peaceful villages said Tabibul Islam, freedom fighter also Dimla upazila chairman who was distributing relief in afternoon of today.
Rabiul Islam Shahin, chairman of Tepakhribari village informed that the 150-meter wide new channel, originating from Char kharibari village and traveling through the locality for about 6 kilometers, again merges with the main river near Teesta barrage at Doani.
” On its course, it already devours about 22,000 acres (1 acre= 100 decimal) of cultivable land and 500 homesteads, 5 schools, 4 bridges, rural roads making 1,000 families to flee for shelter on flood control dam, helipad area, groins and spurs, of BWDB. ” We don’t want relief but a dam which may bring a permanent solution making way for return to our villages,” said Insan Ali, a victim from char kharibari village.
Mostafizur Rahman, Executive Engineer of BWDB in Dalia division said, ” For permanent solution, we’ve sent a proposal to higher authority in Dhaka for constructing a 300 meter dam to stop on surge of water through the new channel in rainy season.
Upazila relief and disaster management officer Nayema Tabassum said that dry food has been distributed among victims every day and her dept. was preparing victims list to provide logistical support.
